Vinayaka Chaturthi is done with sixteen rituals. All the required pooja items for this may mostly be procured online. Here is a glimpse of the sixteen rituals.
Vinayaka Chaturthi is the worship of Lord Ganesha where the puja is done with sixteen rituals or
Before the beginning of the sixteen rituals, the ceremonial lighting of the lamp takes place along with Sankalpa. This is then followed by the sixteen rituals. One thing that needs to be remembered is that in case of home, if the puja is done for an existing deity of Ganesha then no visarjan is given. Instead Utthapana is performed at the end of the puja.
Following are the Sixteen Rituals that are Followed:-
- Avahan and Pratishthapan (Invocation and Installation): The process begins with the invocation of the Lord by reciting the Avahan mantra with the hands folded as per Avahan Mudra. Invocation is followed by the installation accompanied by the chanting of the installation prayer.
- Asan Samarpan (Offering of Seat): With the accompaniment of chanting of mantras, five flowers must be offered as a ritual for
offering ofseat to Lord Ganesha. - Padya Samparpan (Washing of feet): With the chanting of specific mantra water should be offered to the Lord for washing of feet.
- Arghya Samarpan ( Offering of scented water): Scented water is to be then offered to Him along with chanting.
- Achman (Washing): Chant of mantras must be accompanied
with offering of water. - Snana Mantra (Bathing) : The bathing of the idol is done through nine different processes –
snana (with water),panchamrita snana (with milk, curd, honey, ghee, sugar),dugdha snana (with milk),dadhi snana (with curd),ghrita snana (with ghee),madhu snana (with honey),sharkara snana (with sugar),suvasita snana (with scented oil),shuddhodak snana (with pure water). Each of this has a separate chanting. - Vastra and Uttariya Samarpan (Offering of dress and upper torso covering): Offering of dress and clothing to cover the upper part of the body follows next with the accompaniment of chanting.
- Yajnopavita Samarpan ( Offering of
sacred thread): Now comes the offering of the sacred thread, along with the mantra chanting. Gandha Samarpan (Offering of scent): Scent is then offered to the Lord with mantras.- Akshata (Offering of unbroken rice): Unbroken rice is then offered along with the chanting of the mantras
- Pushpamala, ShamiPatra, Durvankura, Sindur (Offering of garland,
shamipatra , special grass with three orfiveblades ,sindur ) : Four items –pushpamala ,shamipatra ,durvankura and sindoor are offered to the Lord one after the other with the chanting of respective mantras. - Dhoop (Incense stick): Incense stick is then offered to
the God along with mantras. - Deep (Offering of
lamp ): Lamp is then offered to the Lord with the accompaniment of the holy chanting of mantras. - Naivedya
nivedan and Chandan Karodvartan (Offering ofnaivedya and sandalwood water) : Naivedya is first offered followed by the offering of sandalwood water, again accompanied by mantras. - Tambul, Nariyel and Dakshina
samarpan (Offering ofpaan-betelnut , coconut and monetary offering): Paan with betel nut, coconut and moneyis offered one after the other accompanied by mantra chanting. - Niranjan and Visarjan (Final offering and submersion):
Neranjan is done through the offering of aarti. This is followed bypushpanjali or offering of flowers. Then one has tocircumbulate the deity from left to right with flowers and chants. This is calledPradakshina . Finally is the time for Visarjan. This is done with mantras.
Thus completes the sixteen rituals related to Vinaya Chaturthi. The basic things required may be procured from any puja store online and all that it requires is devotion towards Lord Ganesha.